Diving in the Maldives

It might sound cliché, but the Maldives is a diver’s paradise. Diving is by far the most popular activity in the Maldives. The Maldives really is THE destination for diving enthusiasts. You’ll not see the sites of such brilliantly colored fish against beautiful, delicate coral reefs any where else in the world. Some resorts offer a “house reef” to guests that can be used from the beach itself.

And don’t worry, if you aren’t experienced in diving, there are dive courses offered by many of the resorts, conducted in several languages. Almost all resorts offer diving facilities of some kind in addition to instruction. Many resorts conduct open water and advanced courses such as night diving, rescue diving, and underwater photography. Courses such as naturalist and shark specialist courses are the most popular due to the growing interest in the marine habitat. At resorts, diving is conducted daily all year around and it is only rarely that diving has to be cancelled.

The best time to dive around the Maldives is between January and April. The sea is calmest during these times, the weather is clearest and the waters have the best visibility then.

All of the resorts in the Maldives love to have divers as guests. International diving certificates of all types are honoured. Don’t forget to bring your diving certification card and log book as diving centres will want to see them. You can rent regulators, BCDs, computers, masks, snorkels and fins without a problem. So unless you are particular and want to use only your own equipment, it might make more sense to just rent it while you are at the Maldives.

It’s also possible to experience “diving safaris” in the Maldives. You’ll be escorted on a visit through various diving sites, resorts, islands and villages. If you are unfamiliar to the Maldives but are an experienced, certified diver, this would probably be the way to go.

More experienced divers may wish to participate in night-time diving where many different types of marine life can be seen, or consider taking some underwater photography.

The reefs are fragile. Steps have been taken to avoid over-exploitation of natural resources. Protected Marine Areas were established in 1995. This was the first step in protecting these areas from the detrimental effects of over-fishing, coral mining, anchor damage and rubbish. The killing of turtles, which is under threat of extinction, is banned and the export of turtle shells and products made of turtle shell is prohibited. Sport fishing practiced by some islands is now confined to the tag and release method.

Snorkeling in the Maldives

Snorkeling can be done by almost anyone, young and old. It’s an ideal family activity. Snorkeling over the shallow reefs of the islands is an ideal way to explore the underwater world of the Maldives. Snorkeling equipment is available at all the resorts. Some resorts organize regular snorkelling excursions to give their visitors a chance to experience the beauty and diversity of marine life and reef structures in the Maldives.